The present invention relates to a tool for moving debris within a gutter for cleaning the gutter of leaves, roofing material granules, dirt, and other accumulations.
It is at least an annual chore in most locations where there are trees of any size to remove the leaves and other debris that accumulates in gutters of the type commonly used on personal residences. This material must be removed in order to permit the proper drainage of the water received from the adjacent roof in order to prevent the gutter from overflowing. Further, with many gutters, particularly steel gutters, it is desirable that the drainage be free or unblocked in order to eliminate rusting.
Gutters are normally maintained in position by using gutter spikes or clips which are secured to the roof. In either case, these clips and spikes interfere with the cleaning process. Various tools are used by home owners in this generally disagreeable task of removing debris, such as trowels, spatulas, and the like.
In order to successfully clear the gutters, it is usually necessary to either approach the gutter from the roof, from the ground, or from a ladder. In any case, the tool needs to get over the top of and into the gutter in order to successfully reach the debris and to be sure that the bottom of the gutter is clear. Further, it is desirable that the user view the tool as it is moved along the gutter. In this regard, some attempts have been made to provide tools which can be used by the home owner while he is on the ground adjacent the side of the home. These tools include elongated links of tubes or the like and require operation of the tool from the end of a tool handle while preventing observation of the gutter itself. Such tools are cumbersome because of their length.
Cary, U.S. Pat. No. 4,542,553, discloses a tool for cleaning gutters which includes a singular rod-like member to which is attached a plate adjacent one end and a handle adjacent the other end. The configuration is such that the plate can be scrapped along a gutter by a user without scraping his finger. The tool is used by simply pressing it along in the gutter so as to scrape the debris along ahead of it. To facilitate this pushing of debris, a rod-like member interconnects the blade and the handle, where the first section of the rod is substantially perpendicular to the flat face of the plate. The rod further includes a second section which extends upwardly vertically from the first section, and a third section extending substantially in a plane parallel to the horizontal plane of the first section and substantially normal to the flat face of the plate. The plate is rectangular with ninety degree angles thereto which is suitable for matching the shape of the bottom and sides of the gutter with the first section of the rod being substantially perpendicular to the plate. Accordingly, the tool is suitable to push debris a substantial distance under clips or gutter spikes. Unfortunately, it may be difficult to push a large pile of debris under a clip or gutter spike if the debris presses against the clip or gutter spike. In addition, the sharp angular bends of the rod make it prone to bending under pressure, thereby frustrating the user.
Dilley, U.S. Pat. No. 4,194,780, discloses a gutter cleaning tool including a pole handle, to each end of which is attached a simple tool consisting of two arms mounted at right angles to the handle and 180 degrees apart. On each end of the arm is a paddle shaped roughly like the bottom of the gutter. About six inches from the pole, one of the arms is offset some three inches toward the user. In operation, the paddle on the straight arm pulls the leaves down the gutter until it reaches a cross-strut. The user then rotates the handle 180 degrees permitting the offset arm and the smaller paddle to pull the leaves under the cross strut. The user then rotates the handle back to its original position and inserts the paddle of the straight arm into the gutter on the near side of the cross-strut but behind the pile of debris. This process is repeated until the debris has been brought to the user and lifted from the gutter. Unfortunately, the tool disclosed by Dilley is complicated and relatively expensive. In addition, the paddles are shaped roughly like the bottom of the gutter, having perpendicular elongate edges, which limits their usefulness with gutters having different profiles. Cary, U.S. Pat. No. 4,542,553; Despain et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,626,542; Dilley, U.S. Pat. No. 4,194,780; and Kreiser, U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,612 disclose several different gutter profiles.
What is desired, therefore, is a gutter cleaning tool that is suitable to pull debris toward a user from a distance, while avoiding clips and gutter spikes. The gutter cleaning tool should be designed such that it may effectively accommodate different gutter profiles.